Daring to Dream, the charity that supports the emotional health and wellbeing for those living with long-term physical health conditions, has launched its first official charity single called Here Together.
The emotive song is written and performed by Bridgend College music student Lylia Young, who regularly takes part in the charity’s ‘Spaces to Sing’ sessions at Princess of Wales Hospital, bringing live music to the patients, their families, carers, and staff on the Care for the Elderly and Dementia wards.
Lylia said this experience had helped her understand the emotional impact of those living with illness and hopes the track reflects the deep emotional landscape of illness.
She said: “Writing and releasing my first track has been a deeply personal and emotional journey, filled with hard work and moments of real self-doubt. However, it was vital for me to push through those challenges to help others understand the ‘hidden’ experiences of their friends and families.
“By sharing these feelings through music, we can shed a much-needed light on the emotional impact of illness. I am incredibly grateful to Daring to Dream for the opportunity to write ‘Here Together’, it has been a truly transformative experience.”
The single, which launched at Cardiff’s Norwegian Church last night (Thursday 23 April) and is available to download from today, marks the beginning of the charity’s ‘Hear Us; Sing with Us’ campaign, an initiative which aims to bring the often-hidden emotional impact of illness into the open, encouraging people across Wales to listen, share, and sing these experiences together.
Barbara Chidgey, Founder and Chair of Daring to Dream said: “While physical care is typically visible and measurable, the emotional toll of illness often goes unseen. Led by the release of Here Together, the ‘Hear Us; Sing with Us’ campaign seeks to change that, shining a light on these experiences and turning the fear and other emotions arising from long-term conditions into a shared sense of connection through music.
“For too long, the emotional turmoil of illness has been a silent companion to medical treatment. Through this single, we are inviting everyone to bring those hidden feelings into the light. Music has a unique power to create a ‘Space to Sing’ where words alone often fail.”
Dr Nav Masani, Consultant Cardiologist and Charity Trustee, emphasises the campaign’s clinical importance: “Recovery is as much about the mind as it is the body. By bringing these emotions into the open through music, we are helping patients and families build the emotional resilience needed to manage health challenges.”
Lylia gave a moving performance at the single’s event launch, as the charity created its first recording for the #HearUsSingwithUs campaign, supported by audience members and singers from the Cardiff Tenovus Cancer Care ‘Sing with Us’ choir.
Charity ambassador Leigh Manley performed his poem called ’I Hear You’ which he wrote in response to Here Together.
Leigh said: “As a spoken-word artist living with a lifelong health condition, writing about emotional wellbeing is never too far from my mind. When I heard Lilya’s song, Here Together, the idea of an artistic community supporting each other through challenging times spoke to me instantly, compelled me to pen a response re-emphasising much of the mission of Daring to Dream.”
